Welcome Ginikachukwu Ojiako

[Masonfan3]

Are we 100% sure Peter Oduro is on scholarship? I watched an IG live with Coach Tomlinson earlier, after he tweeted the great day in Fairfax message, and he said to someone else who joined the live that they had 1 more scholarship left.....I took that as after this commitment we had 1 left. If Big John did take the last spot, CKE and staff must feel pretty good about the PG spot. We shall see.

Are we also 100% sure that Josh is coming back? As of right now his name is still in the draft and all it takes is 1 team to say they will take him…

 

[By George.]

the coaches have talked about having another scholarship multiple times Bryan. they also never announced him like they have Singleton, Bailey, Nnaji, and now big John. So yes, very unclear that a kid with 0 other offers got an athletic scholarship

The coaches talked about having an open spot before today and just filled it. For everyone it’s still somehow unclear for, Peter Oduro is on scholarship. GMURecruiting is the most plugged in, if it’s reported there, it’s fact. Mason also announced it -

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1520417695371431941

View: https://twitter.com/masonmbb/status/1520417695371431941?s=21&t=bcwvbxbl9LEb_UDpBaLP9A

 

[TweederGMU]

Indifferent on this pickup. I've watched him for a while being a VT fan as well. Coaches and fans had high hopes for this guy when he first got in and then he became a Dud. I've watched him over his career at VT and would often cringe when he would get in the game as the ACC bigs would just eat him up. The ACC tone and tempo and caliber of players is/was too much for him and he was not developing the way VT needed him to come along. He did sit behind Aluma and Mutts for 2 years as they pounded on him good and plenty in practice, heard Aluma tried to show him some post moves but he just went back to his basics. He did get hurt last year and got in to some games in mop up duty and when he was in just hung around the rim looking for easy put backs and dunks. He didn't give VT any real C threat as David N'Guessan was the first forward off the bench. If Aluma had to come out during the game - John or Lynn Kidd or another guard would go in for a few mins (depending size and who was on the floor from the other team).

I look at him as a project piece..... he is NOT a scorer, he just lives around the rim... dunks and blocks are his game. I don't think I ever saw him hit a jump shot when watching VT games when he was in. Interesting to see how he develops here and hopefully the A-10 is the right tempo and match for his game. Few blocks and easy put backs and good defense is what he can provide now IMO.... maybe our coaches can develop his game and get him to be an offensive threat. I would rate him better than Malik on the offensive side though.

Oduro is going to own him in practice.... hopefully he can help him but that's what 2 very good forwards in Aluma and Mutts tried to do and he just didn't take at VT. Game was way too fast for him there so hopefully the A-1O will be where he can succeed and develop his game - he needs work on offense for sure.

 

[TweederGMU]

Welcome John!

6'10 245 is a big big kid.

We no longer will look like a JV team against a program like SLU or Dayton in terms of height.

I'm most concerned about PG play and whether it will be enough to get us to the top 5. That said, this team is built to win and hopefully that will not hold the program back.

It'll be interesting to see if they let play Josh more of a "4" with John at the 5 at times.

John will most likely spell Josh - will get 10 mins a game I'm thinking.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Still, we beat out an mediocre to impressive list of schools to get him, to include Miami, GW, and Tulsa

 

[Verdad]

Still, we beat out an mediocre to impressive list of schools to get him, to include Miami, GW, and Tulsa

So that makes four current or former Mason coaches that wanted him

 

[mkaufman1]

Wisconsin also was interested

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Wisconsin also was interested

Yes they were interested as was Eastern Washington and Stony Brook and Radford and Vanderbilt overseas and GLeague and Duck Donuts

 

[mkaufman1]

Yes they were interested as was Eastern Washington and Stony Brook and Radford and Vanderbilt overseas and GLeague and Duck Donuts

What about blind sisters of the Chesapeake? Has ACW befriended him?

 

[NewPatriot]

Indifferent on this pickup. I've watched him for a while being a VT fan as well. Coaches and fans had high hopes for this guy when he first got in and then he became a Dud. I've watched him over his career at VT and would often cringe when he would get in the game as the ACC bigs would just eat him up. The ACC tone and tempo and caliber of players is/was too much for him and he was not developing the way VT needed him to come along. He did sit behind Aluma and Mutts for 2 years as they pounded on him good and plenty in practice, heard Aluma tried to show him some post moves but he just went back to his basics. He did get hurt last year and got in to some games in mop up duty and when he was in just hung around the rim looking for easy put backs and dunks. He didn't give VT any real C threat as David N'Guessan was the first forward off the bench. If Aluma had to come out during the game - John or Lynn Kidd or another guard would go in for a few mins (depending size and who was on the floor from the other team).

I look at him as a project piece..... he is NOT a scorer, he just lives around the rim... dunks and blocks are his game. I don't think I ever saw him hit a jump shot when watching VT games when he was in. Interesting to see how he develops here and hopefully the A-10 is the right tempo and match for his game. Few blocks and easy put backs and good defense is what he can provide now IMO.... maybe our coaches can develop his game and get him to be an offensive threat. I would rate him better than Malik on the offensive side though.

Oduro is going to own him in practice.... hopefully he can help him but that's what 2 very good forwards in Aluma and Mutts tried to do and he just didn't take at VT. Game was way too fast for him there so hopefully the A-1O will be where he can succeed and develop his game - he needs work on offense for sure.

If anyone can develop this kid...it's kim english. Frankly, this is the A10, the talent level at center this year in the league will be down with Ossun, Ward, the mitchell twins, brankjovich, the SLU and Lasalle centers all gone. He could become a more than effective piece on this team.

 

[Falco]

I am also completely unclear about that due to comments from the coaches... but our "insiders" said he is on scholly!

Is an academic scholarship possible?

 

[gmujim92]

Is an academic scholarship possible?

No

 

[p8triotfan4life]

We are easily a top 60 team this year, no doubt.

starters:
Fernandez - there is no way he doesn't start or be the 6th man next year. If he's not the pillar of the program aka A10 ROY (which is why he committed) he will be gone by next spring
Gaines
Bailey
Josh Oduro
Cooper

bench:
Polite/Singleton (first off the bench)
Dinkins
Elvis/Jones (rotating for Oduro/Gaines)

I don't see a way Ojiako gets major minutes unless 1. Elvis isn't ready or 2. we play teams full of bigs (i.e. Dayton, St. Louis, vcu, etc.)

since our bench is much stronger, I wonder if themasonbench.com will get get dusted off and make a comeback? what say you @dr. gunnie ? as far as red-shirts go, I would think that Peter Oduro should be a given. We should be 10 deep on our rotation.

other than PG spot (staff must love Dinkins/Singleton, and have promise for Polite), this might be our best roster since the Final Four team. Yes, better than the 2011 Pearson/Morrison/Hancock team.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Does he play PG?

Asks the guy who wanted Oduro to transfer last season.

 

[By George.]

I’ve been begging to play 2 bigs since conception. I’m about to get my wish! Small ball bombed…

 

[gmujim92]

I’ve been begging to play 2 bigs since consumption. I’m about to get my wish! Small ball bombed…

Against certain teams you have to have the ability to play 2 bigs. Imagining us trying to guard Auburn in next season’s opener with Josh at the 5 and Ticket at the 4 makes me want to puke.

This roster has gone from one-trick pony to ridiculously versatile in a couple months … now it’s all about what kind of play we get at PG.

 

[Patriot8]

other than PG spot (staff must love Dinkins/Singleton, and have promise for Polite), this might be our best roster since the Final Four team. Yes, better than the 2011 Pearson/Morrison/Hancock team.

This is a stretch... 2010-2011 was loaded

 

[gmujim92]

This is a stretch... 2010-2011 was loaded

At the risk of derailing this thread, consider:

Top 8 rotation players:

Long, Pearson, Morrison, Hancock, Cornelius, Tate, Vaughns, Williams

Young guys who barely played but would go on to become starters at Mason: Allen, Wright (RS), Arledge, Bennett

Truly a LOADED squad

 

[Patriot8]

As it stands right now, this is a rough mpg distribution estimate:

Oduro - 30
Ticket - 30
Singleton - 25
Cooper - 25
Bailey - 25
Fernandez - 25
Polite - 10
Ojiako - 10
Elvis - 8
Jones - 7
Dinkins - 5

Having said that, I hope that Henry proves me wrong, plays well, and establishes a role.

 

[tblack33]

As it stands right now, this is a rough mpg distribution estimate:

Oduro - 30
Ticket - 30
Singleton - 25
Cooper - 25
Bailey - 25
Fernandez - 25
Polite - 10
Ojiako - 10
Elvis - 8
Jones - 7
Dinkins - 5

Having said that, I hope that Henry proves me wrong, plays well, and establishes a role.

That would have us going 11 deep which unless KE has changed his philosophy seems unlikely by the time conference play rolls around. I don't think he'll go 7 like he stated before, but I don't see us going more than 9 deep outside of foul trouble/injuries.